Before you go in: the rules
- Dress: shoulders and knees covered, for men and women alike. Our guide to modest dress in Rome details the cases.
- Midday break: many churches close between noon and 3 or 4pm. Plan them for early morning or late afternoon.
- Services: during Mass, do not walk around the nave or photograph worshippers.
- Coins: several chapels (Caravaggio at San Luigi dei Francesi in particular) are lit by a coin meter: keep a few coins.
- Free, but not always: entry is free, but some cloisters, crypts or frescoes charge a fee.
The historic centre: Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Pozzo
San Luigi dei Francesi
The French national church in Rome holds three Caravaggio canvases on St Matthew in the Contarelli Chapel: the Calling, the Inspiration and the Martyrdom. They are lit by a coin meter. See the page on San Luigi dei Francesi and our guide to Caravaggio in Rome.
Santa Maria sopra Minerva
Rome's only Gothic church, behind the Pantheon, holds Michelangelo's Risen Christ, frescoes by Filippino Lippi and the tomb of Fra Angelico. In front of the church, Bernini's little elephant carries an obelisk: see the page on Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
Sant'Ignazio
A few minutes from Via del Corso, Sant'Ignazio hides a dome that does not exist: Andrea Pozzo painted it in trompe-l'œil on a flat canvas. A disc on the floor marks the spot from which the illusion is perfect. See also the concerts held there.
The Gesù
The mother church of the Jesuits is a high point of the Baroque: the Church of the Gesù has a Baciccia ceiling that spills into the nave and St Ignatius's chapel, in lapis lazuli and gilded bronze.
Santa Maria in Aracoeli
Santa Maria in Aracoeli is earned by 124 steps and rewards you with Pinturicchio's frescoes and the Santo Bambino.
Bernini and Borromini: Roman Baroque
Santa Maria della Vittoria
The Cornaro Chapel in Santa Maria della Vittoria holds Bernini's Ecstasy of St Teresa, one of the most famous sculptures in Rome. It is close to Piazza della Repubblica and the Baths of Diocletian.
San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane
Tiny, nicknamed "San Carlino": San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane is Borromini's first masterpiece, with its oval coffered dome. The Quattro Fontane crossroads is at its feet. For the Bernini–Borromini rivalry, see Roman Baroque.
Mosaics and great names
Santa Prassede
Near Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Prassede keeps 9th-century Byzantine mosaics, including the Chapel of St Zeno, which Romans nickname the "Garden of Paradise".
San Pietro in Vincoli
San Pietro in Vincoli, on the Esquiline, holds Michelangelo's Moses, carved for the tomb of Julius II. The church also keeps the chains of St Peter. Combine it with the Colosseum, ten minutes away.
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere hides in the heart of its neighbourhood Stefano Maderno's statue of the saint, modelled on the body found in 1599, and Cavallini's Last Judgment, visited separately. See our guide to Trastevere.
Visiting itineraries
- Morning, centre: San Luigi dei Francesi, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Sant'Ignazio, the Gesù, then the Capitoline and Santa Maria in Aracoeli. Everything can be done on foot in half a day.
- Baroque: Santa Maria della Vittoria, San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, then Santa Maria Maggiore and Santa Prassede.
- Rain: these churches complete a rainy day in Rome; see also the free activities.
The Pantheon and St Peter's
The Pantheon, the church of Santa Maria ad Martyres, is no longer free for non-resident visitors; St Peter's Basilica is free, but the security queue can be long. See their pages for up-to-date hours.
